April 28th: Cardinals Designated Bitter

The Cardinals were the overwhelming favorite to win the NL Central this year, as they so often are. Their lineup is well balanced with young, exciting hitters, mixed in with the seasoned veterans who know how to make a playoff push. The only real area of concern was pitching depth, but the presence of veteran ace Adam Wainwright provided some assurance that the staff would, at the very least, receive a quality start every fifth day.

This past weekend, that security blanket caught fire, as Wainwright injured his achilles tendon running out a pop fly during a game against the Brewers. While his spirits appeared high on Saturday night, it was reported on Sunday that he would be out for the season.

This led to two divergent reactions. The first, expected answer was a shadow of doubt descending on the Cardinals. All of a sudden, the Central powerhouse looked vulnerable, leaving the door wide open for the surging Cubs and Pirates to take a crack at winning the division. At the same time, a spark caught fire in the debate of the use of the Designated Hitter in the National League.

The DH has been in use in the American League since 1973, allowing teams to use a hitter that goes to the plate in the place of the pitcher. Generally this is a strong hitter, with some of the game’s best including David Ortiz, Victor Martinez, and Prince Fielder. The National League does not employ this rule, and instead sends the pitcher to the plate every 9th batter.

The argument has long existed that the DH should be implemented in the National League. The presence of the pitcher in the lineup requires managers to work in much more refined ways, using pinch hitters and double switches that their AL counterparts need not utilize. Another feather in the hat of DH fans is the overall lack of offense that is spread across the league. With more pitchers dominating hitters, the NL would benefit by adding another potent bat to many lineups, and should drive up production across the board.

As a Designated Hitter, David Ortiz is one of the American
League's best hitters. Should the National League follow suit?

While the argument in favor of adding the DH is valid, the Wainwright injury should not strengthen or hurt anyone’s case. Sure, he injured himself while batting. But his injury was the kind of accident that could just have easily resulted from his stepping awkwardly off the pitcher’s mound. Major League Baseball players are required to be athletes at the highest level, including pitchers. Just because one pitcher rolled his ankle and injured himself while batting does not mean that grabbing a bat is a safety hazard that pitchers can’t afford. If the same thing had happened to an outfielder, we wouldn’t even bat an eyelash.

If the DH rule was implemented in the National League, it would require a change in makeup for most lineups. Generally, NL teams don’t have the extra big bat sitting on their bench. This would lead to some dramatic shifts away from small-ball bench players in favor of adding another bat to play every day.

Overall, the DH rule could be a valuable addition to the National League. It would lead to more offense, provide more jobs for better hitters, and allow pitchers to work on their specialty. But Adam Wainwright isn’t the reason to have the conversation. Wainwright’s injury, while occurring during an offensive opportunity, should not intimidate all pitchers out of the batter’s box.

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April 3rd: MLB Playoff Preview

Before we’ve played a single game, I’ve predicted the final standings for all six MLB divisions. Now, I take a look at the way the postseason will shape up. Who wins the World Series? You’re about to find out!

_____________________________________________________________

AL Wild Card:

Mariners over Indians - A faceoff between last year’s Cy Young finalists, Kluber is going to be enough to get the Tribe to the game, but the Mariners lineup will be able to get Seattle into the next round.

NL Wild Card:

Pirates over Cubs - The Cubs squeak in on the last day of the season, while the Pirates cruise to the postseason, only barely falling short of St. Louis. While Chicago owns the hearts of the country, the Pirates own the talent, and a third straight WC game gives Pittsburgh the edge.

AL Division Series:

Angels over Mariners - A division showdown in the Division Series. The Mariners will try to seek their revenge after losing out on the division crown, but the Angels will be out for blood after their embarrassing loss to Kansas City a year ago. Angels will win it in four.

Red Sox over Tigers - The matchup of the two best lineups in the American League will be a slugfest, especially if the pitching staffs limp into the postseason. This is totally dependent on who’s hot as the season expires, but the Red Sox have Kung Fu Panda, who knows how to get it done in October.

NL Division Series:

Nationals over Pirates - The Nationals will have an absolutely unbeatable staff, built for a long postseason run. The Pirates will, for the third straight year, draw a bad matchup in the postseason, and be headed home early. Luckily, they will have proven their intent to compete, so free agents will flock to Pittsburgh in 2016.

Dodgers over Cardinals - Clayton Kershaw will be begging for the ball in this series, and he will get his revenge. The Cardinals won’t have the pitching depth to make this year their year, and will watch as the Dodgers take their place in the next round.

AL Championship Series:

Angels over Red Sox - The cross country series will feature two teams with question marks at pitcher but rosters so deep, they will score by the truckload. I’m going with my gut and picking the Angels, who feel like they are ready to make the jump to postseason elite.

NL Championship Series:

Nationals over Dodgers - The pitching matchups in this series will make anyone drool. Look for Kershaw to square off against Scherzer, leaving Strasburg to make his October name for himself the following night. In the end, the Dodgers won’t be able to compete offensively with the Nationals, and Washington will visit the Fall Classic.

World Series:

Nationals over Angels - Baseball’s greatest pitching staff will face off against the greatest offense, in a baseball version of the Denver-Seattle Super Bowl. The matchup between Mike Trout and now MVP favorite Bryce Harper will be an epic battle that will set the tone for the future of the game. In the end, masterful pitching will once again decide the outcome of the game, and Harper’s Spring Training predictions will come away looking prophetic. The World Series Champions will be the Washington Nationals!

That’s how the ZP: Left Fielder sees the Major League Baseball season shaping up. Will it end the way we predict? Probably not. Don’t worry, though. I’ll be here in October to pick them again!

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February 24th: ""Welcoming" Back A-Roid*

For the first time in over a year, Alex Rodriguez has reported to the Yankees. He arrived at Spring Training this year in the hopes of reclaiming his spot in the lineup, after a full-season ban that kept him away from any and all baseball-related activities, at least as they pertained to the Yankees and Major League Baseball.

Meanwhile, the Bronx Bombers have purchased some insurance policies that render A-Rod’s services nearly useless. The signing of Chase Headley in free agency and the acquisition of Garrett Jones from the Marlins allow for options at both third base and DH, potentially leaving the former MVP and current Baseball Anti-Christ without a position to play.

This works out perfectly for the team, as they are able to use the best excuse in sports: compete at the highest level, or get lost. See, for the Yankees, they have the opportunity to compete with whoever brings the least drama and the most production. If that is Rodriguez, than great. They have the option of inserting one of the game’s best players (historically speaking), assuming he can re-learn to hit big league pitching after a year out of the league and, of course, assuming he can keep hitting without his steroids.

I have been a big advocate for a life ban for Alex Rodriguez. He is the epitome of everything that is wrong with baseball. He used steroids, cheated, bastardized the statistics of an entire generation of ballplayers who went about the game in the right way. He then proceeded to sue everyone in his path, throwing anyone and everyone he could find under the bus. He was classless. He was cruel. And he deserved to have his ability to play the game taken away.

To clarify, it isn’t the cheating I have the biggest problem with (although I will publicly shame anyone who degrades the game in that way). Jason Giambi cheated, and the fans accepted his apology and moved on. Andy Pettitte cheated, and everyone got over it, because he admitted his mistake. A-Rod’s biggest crime is that he cheated, THEN lied about it. When he was caught, he refused to admit he was wrong until the absolute latest opportunity, continually choosing to point fingers, rather than own his decisions.

Legally, you can’t take away someone’s career for being an ass, though, so here he is. The Yankees have too much money wrapped up in him not to bring him to camp, and he now has the chance to show whether or not he can keep playing the game that he so thoroughly jeopardized with his behavior.

Upon arrival at camp, Rodriguez subjected himself to about eight minutes of questioning from reporters. Many of the questions were various articulations of the same question: You’re a real jerk, aren’t you? Of course, they couldn’t ask in exactly those terms, but reporters struggled to find ways to articulate questions to which the answer could be anything more than “Yup. I’m a scumbag.”

But, of course, Alex Rodriguez will never truly admit he’s wrong without looking for a way to come out looking like the good guy (ain’t working so far, Alex). So he tiptoed almost as daintily around answering the questions as the reports did asking them.

There is a very simple solution that will solve all of these dilemmas, though. The simple answer is that we need to ignore anything and everything A-Rod does that doesn’t involve a baseball bat. He should be subjected to daily drug tests, and then judged strictly by his numbers. Reporters shouldn’t ask him questions. That right is reserved for players who can handle their business with some decorum.

The worst punishment Major League Baseball can give an egomaniac like Alex is to ignore him altogether. His entire identity should be reduced to a box score. No headlines. No interviews. No special reports. Just complete and total objectification of his skills as a ballplayer.

For someone who was willing to sacrifice his entire identity to hit a few more home runs, that is exactly what he deserves.

September 29th: Painting the Playoff Picture

After 182 days, 2430 games, and six division races, the playoffs are all set to get underway. The Royals are making their first playoff appearance in 29 years, while the Tigers have won four straight division titles. The Angels surged to dominance in the AL West, while the Athletics limped into the playoffs as a Wild Card team. The Pirates only narrowly missed the chance to steal the division crown away from the Cardinals, who take it home for the second straight year.

Now, though, getting to October isn’t enough. What happens for the next month will send 9 teams home with nothing, while one team brings home the hardware.

Here is the Major League Baseball Playoff Predictions, brought to you by the ZP: Left Fielder.

AL Wild Card Game

The As will go as far as Lester can pitch them...which may only
be until the 7th.

Oakland As at Kansas City Royals

The As have the starting pitching to make a 5 game series look painful for an opponent, but they only have one shot here. Jon Lester takes the mound against a Royals team that has stuck around all year long. While both Lester and KC’s James Shields will pitch well, this game will be decided in the seventh inning or later. After that, it is the Royals who’s lineup is dominant enough to find their spots, and a bullpen that can seal the deal.

ZPLF pick: Royals

NL Wild Card Game

San Francisco Giants at Pittsburgh Pirates

The Giants’ starting lineup has been hobbled by injuries, while the Pirates are in full-on attack mode. The Buccos will also see a huge home-field advantage, as the Pittsburgh fan-base has grown rabid about their team. I think this will get ugly early, and the Pirates will cruise to the next level.

ZPLF pick: Pirates

ALDS

Trout has been a megastar every step along the way. Why
not also in the playoffs?

Kansas City Royals vs. Los Angeles Angels

The scrappy Royals do what it takes to win, while the bashing Angels hit their way into victories. The Royals pitching is good, but not good enough to keep the Angels quiet. The Angels won’t have anything to worry about, in terms of their own pitching. It will do the tirck.

ZPLF pick: Angels

Detroit Tigers vs. Baltimore Orioles

I had written this whole post saying the Orioles would win this series. I had filed it away for publication. Then, I saw the Tigers rotation for this series. I don't know why seeing it in ink (ok, on a screen) had such an effect on me, but I just can't bet against Scherzer, Verlander and Price in a five game series. Those are the three wins you need right there. The Orioles are good, but nobody is as good as the Tigers rotation at their best.

ZPLF pick: Tigers

NLDS

Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Washington Nationals

All that I said about the Pirates before stands, but the Nationals are the real deal. Their pitchers have been unhittable, their offense has been consistently dominant, and they seem to have all of the pieces coming into play at the absolute best possible time. The Pirates will walk away from this series knowing they were starting pitching away from greatness.

ZPLF pick: Nationals

Puig will be the difference maker, one way or another.

St. Louis Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Yasiel Puig is the secret to this series. People like to say that he will lose two games with base running errors and and gaffes, but he will win the other two with his superstar abilities. Kershaw vs. Wainwright will be fun to watch, and you can never count the Cardinals out, but this St. Louis team isn’t nearly as dominant as the one that played a tough series against the Dodgers a year ago.

ZPLF pick: Dodgers

ALCS

Detroit Tigers vs. Los Angeles Angels

The league's best pitchers against the best offense in baseball. This is the kind of series that will be easy to predict after seeing the ALDS, but I have to go with a high-flying offense. If any team can make Verlander and Price look like they did in August, it is the Angels.

ZPLF pick: Angels

NLCS

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Washington Nationals

These are the two best pitching staffs in the game, and they will square off in absolutely dominant performances. The Nationals are the more offensively clever team, and they will find ways to scratch across runs. Kershaw will be dominant, but he will only win two of the game necessary to make the World Series. The Nationals will represent the Senior Circuit.

ZPLF pick: Nationals

Harper will play a key role in bringing Washington to
the promised land.

World Series

Washington Nationals vs. Los Angeles Angels

The first team along the road with the pitching to stifle the Angels, the Nationals have the ability to stymie the best hitters in baseball. The Angels will win game one before falling behind 3-1. They’ll get back into it with a win, before going down in Game 6. Nationals win.

ZPLF pick: Nationals

Throughout the year, the Nationals have proven to be a well-rounded team, both offensively and on the rubber. The most successful teams are not the ones with one or two superstars (the Angels) or a lights out ace (the As, Tigers, and Dodgers), but the team that can run a team out every night that will find ways to beat you. The Nationals will put up the 11 “W”s they need to put a big ole’ W on the World Series.

September 2nd: The Expansion

Teams like the Royals look to keep their playoff hopes alive,
while their opponent, the Rangers, are hoping to give their
young talent a tryout.

Major League Baseball expanded rosters yesterday, allowing all teams to take any player on their 40 man roster and immediately put him on their big-league club.

This may be great for teams like the Cubs and Astros, who are getting young teams ready to compete by bringing up a ton of prospects for their cups of coffee. For major competitors, though, like the Dodgers and Angels, it can cause a major problem, as teams are inundated with young, usually less scouted talent, which can often lead to more varied results.

How are teams looking to lock up a playoff spot supposed to compete when a cellar dweller is able to run out a new pitcher every third batter, sometimes one nobody has really been able to scout before?

While both teams have the same competitive advantage, in that both can call up as much of their 40 man roster as they desire, it does lead to challenges in managing the influx of players at the big-league level.

The cleanest solution, then, would be to do what hockey teams do. A hockey team may have 23 players on their roster, but is only allowed to dress 20 of them for the game. In much the same way, Major League teams should be able to select which 25 players are active on any given night. The starting pitchers for the night before or the next night don't need to be on that list, as they most likely won't get into the action. The guy getting a day off doesn't need to be on that list either.

What this allows is for a team to know exactly which 25 guys may be coming down the shoot at any given time. There will still be plenty of opportunities for young players to get their experience under their belts, but at the very least it allows playoff contenders to continue to get their at-bats against the proper level of competition.

July 31st: MLB Trade Deadline Review

The Major League Baseball trade deadline is by far my favorite couple of days of the year. Leading up to July 31st at 4 pm, the internet is abuzz with insight, speculation, and rumors. Every team seems to be involved at some level.

My favorite part is watching what actually happens, as compared the the wild rumors that lead up to the event. With that being said, ZP:Left Fielder is reviewing the deals that happened, and commenting on some of the deals that should have.

Best Move:

• David Price to the TIgers: Of course, as it should be. The Tigers now have the past three AL Cy Young Award winners. They made this move to compete with the Oakland As. The difference between the As and the Tigers? The Tigers have four starters with World Series experience. The As have two. Price makes the Tigers the favorite in the AL.

Move That Should Have Been:

• Marlon Byrd to...ANYWHERE: WIth the second Wild Card spot, more teams are looking to get ready for playoff runs. That being said, there aren’t that many bats available. Byrd would have been a good addition for the Reds, Mariners, Yankees, or, frankly, anyone else. This was a waste by the Phillies, and a missed opportunity for the rest of the middle-range contenders.

Deal I’m Glad Didn’t Happen:

• Matt Kemp leaving Los Angeles: I’ve been a Kemp fan since the beginning, and hoped he would turn things around. While there is a full outfield in Los Angeles, no team has ever complained from having too many stars in preparation for the playoffs. Kemp has the ability to explode offensively at any time. The Dodgers may be very happy they didn’t do something drastic come October.

Best Move, Worst Location:

• Emilio Bonifacio to the Braves: Plenty of teams could have used a speedy middle-infielder with experience. Well, frankly, all teams could have used him. To give him and a top notch lefty reliever go for just a single-A catcher was a bummer for the Cubs, who started off the deadline so boldly.

Move They’ll Wish They Could Take Back:

• 
  John Lackey to the Cardinals: The Cardinals seem to forget that Lackey has been the worst pitcher in baseball in the not-so-distant past. Giving up last year’s best hitter and a big-future pitcher for an aging veteran may be a short-sighted answer that will come back to bite them. Despite Craig and Kelly’s struggles this year, they will have better long-term success than Lackey will provide short-term.

Biggest Winners:

• The 2015 Red Sox: While this year may be a lost cause, the Red Sox traded this year like a team that knew they were going to be back in contention soon. Two big-hitting outfielders, and a pitching prospect that has a high ceiling, the Sox look like they are getting ready for a rebound. Lester has even talked about coming back in a few months. This team won’t go away for long.
• The Chicago Cubs: Yes, you read that right. The Cubs were able to do what every team hopes to do in April: sign a whole bunch of older talent for dirt cheap and flip them in July. They’ve now done it three years in a row, acquiring their current ace, their future superstar, and their top set-up man that way over the past three years. To give away Hammel and Bonifacio for top level minor league talent is something of a 2016 coup d'etat.
• The 2015 Twins rotation: See a pattern here? While teams are going crazy trying to put winners together for this year, a few teams are quietly getting ready for the future. A new deal with catcher Kurt Suzuki and acquiring Tommy Milone are just that for the Twins. Has anyone noticed the Twins have a nice little rotation going with Milone, Correia, Hughes, and Nolasco? Not Oakland or Detroit, but it’s a start.

Biggest Losers:

• Yoenis Cespedes: How must it feel to go from the cleanup hitter on a World Series favorite to a last-place team? Cespedes is an incredible hitter who has gone from the top to the bottom. Next year may be a fun time (MAYBE), but for the remainder of the 2014 season, this is going to be a miserable team. It will be hard to watch his old team make a long postseason run while he’s watching from home.
• The Pirates and Brewers: If any year were the year to beat out the Cardinals, it was this one. The pieces were available to improve their teams, and both sat relatively quietly at the deadline. The Cardinals moves weren’t great, but they will probably be enough to beat the their two divisional foes.
• The National League: Sorry guys. Whether the biggest winners were the Tigers or the As, the biggest loser was whichever National League team has to try to win the World Series against either of the best rotations in baseball. Can Clayton Kershaw pitch seven games in a row. Cygh...